A woman was arrested at Gatwick Airport last summer after returning from Nigeria with a baby girl. The woman, referred to as Susan, had lived in West Yorkshire with her husband and children. Before her trip to Nigeria, she had informed her GP that she was pregnant, a claim later proven false. Upon her return, she was arrested on suspicion of trafficking.

Experts are expressing concern over a troubling trend of babies potentially being brought unlawfully into the UK, with some possibly originating from so-called "baby factories" in Nigeria. Susan, a Nigerian national, had been residing in England since June 2023. She claimed to be pregnant, but medical examinations revealed she had a tumour, which doctors feared could be cancerous. Despite this, she refused treatment, insisting that her previous pregnancies had been undetectable on scans.

In early June 2024, Susan travelled to Nigeria, stating her intention to give birth there. After contacting her local hospital in the UK to announce the birth, doctors alerted children's services due to concerns about the situation. Upon her return with the baby, named Eleanor, Susan was stopped by Sussex Police and subsequently arrested. Although she was bailed, the police confirmed that there is currently no active investigation.

Following her arrest, DNA tests were conducted on Susan, her husband, and Eleanor. The results indicated no genetic link between Susan and the baby. Susan requested a second test, which yielded the same outcome. She then altered her narrative, claiming she had undergone IVF treatment using a donor egg and sperm prior to moving to Britain, which explained the negative DNA results.

To support her claims, Susan provided a letter from a Nigerian hospital, along with documentation regarding the IVF treatment. She also presented photos and videos purportedly taken in the Nigerian hospital's labour suite. However, the images lacked identifiable features, and one depicted a naked woman with a placenta still attached.

The Family Court in Leeds appointed Henrietta Coker to investigate the case. Coker, an experienced social worker, visited the medical centre where Susan claimed to have had IVF. Staff there denied any record of her treatment, suggesting the letter was forged. Coker also visited the location where Susan alleged she had given birth, describing it as a shabby flat with stained walls and dirty carpets. During her visit, she encountered three young girls in nurses' uniforms and was directed to a kitchen where a teenage girl was eating.

Coker managed to locate the doctor who had signed the letter confirming Susan's birth. He stated that while someone had indeed given birth, it was not Susan. He noted that impersonation is common in the area, implying that Susan may have "bought the baby". The practice of "baby farming" is a known issue in West Africa, with Nigerian authorities having shut down at least 200 illegal baby factories in recent years.